two obama 2008 veterans are with us, steve, i want to go out to you first. the president is in the midwest. i want to walk over to the map. this one strikes me. watching where he is campaigning today, we talked about this on the program a couple of weeks ago. minnesota, iowa, illinois. he is in these rural areas of the country. it's largely white america, small town america. and the president campaigns all blue states last time, illinois is his home state. probably keep this one blue. these ones you would probably have to be a little questionable, especially iowa has been a swing state. 2008 he splits the white vote. 2011 a new pugh center study shows 52% to 39% for the republicans. that what this bus tour is about? trying to reconnect with white voters in small-town rural america? >> well, first off, john, he is not out there campaigning. he is out there as president. this is an official trip. i think it's important that he is out of washington. he'll be a better president the more time he spends outside of that city. i think it's great that he is out talki